


Warm Me Up

by orphan_account



Category: A Court of Thorns and Roses Series - Sarah J. Maas
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, brief mention of abuse from the camps at the beginning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-13
Updated: 2021-01-13
Packaged: 2021-03-17 12:13:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,291
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28724913
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: He could feel her body melding into his as if it was meant to be.As if they were meant to be.~Aka it's winter in the Illyrian Mountains and Elain and Azriel have a moment™ while watching Nessian train
Relationships: Elain Archeron/Azriel
Comments: 1
Kudos: 51





	Warm Me Up

Illyrian winters are known to be brutal and unforgiving.

Azriel had grown immune to them over the years. During his training, showing so much as a shiver to the harsh cold was perceived as weak and immediately disciplined.

After all, it’s hard to remove the urge to prove your immunity to the icy winds after you’ve felt the crack of a frozen whip on your back.

Even the thick fur coat Azriel currently wore over his thin tunic and pants seemed extraneous as he fought against the prideful instincts ingrained in him from a young age.

The female beside him, however, had not undergone such treatment. Elain was practically vibrating next to him as they watched her sister train with Cassian in the winter frost.

The eldest Archeron had changed over the last few months. Nesta had taken her banishment and made the best of it, immersing herself into training as she worked towards healing.

Yet Azriel refused to pat his High Lord and Lady on the back for their actions. Nesta’s transformation was clearly of her own doing, an exile to an ancient war camp was irrelevant in that process.

Azriel could still remember the look in Cassian’s eyes when Feyre told them about their decision… the look in Elain’s eyes.

He forced away the memory.

Nesta was a new female now and he was proud of her newfound strength. The two of them had never been close – probably never would be if their brooding personalities were anything to go by – but he had always appreciated the tender affection she showed for Elain.

The affection she now showed for Cassian as well.

The pair were almost civil with one another, talking as if they had been friends for centuries. They could be seen joking and bantering with one another, the malice from their previous interactions nowhere to be seen.

It was unsettling if he was honest.

Elain continued to shiver as Nesta dodged yet another blow, dancing around Cassian as if she was bred for battle.

“Would you prefer to go indoors?” Azriel asked gently, peering down at the beautiful female.

Elain looked up at him and he cursed his treacherous heart for skipping a beat at the sight of her soft brown eyes.

“I’m alright, I want to watch them,” she said, giving him a soft smile, “It’s quite fascinating, don’t you think?”

His lips quirked, “They are well matched.”

Her eyes gleamed, “Perhaps in more ways than one.”

Azriel gaped at her in mock disbelief, “Elain Archeron, are you insinuating that these two could perhaps not despise one another?”

She giggled as he grinned down at her, yet the glorious noise was quickly replaced with a shudder as a particularly strong gust of wind cut through the training ring.

Before he could think twice, Azriel opened his arms to her, offering his body warmth which she hastily accepted.

Her small arms wrapped around him as he pulled his coat around her for extra warmth. 

She melted into him, letting out a contented sigh. Azriel prayed she could not hear his pounding heart as she rested her cheek on his chest.

They had hugged before, or rather she had hugged him.

But those had always been quick, friendly gestures. This… this was an embrace. He could feel her body melding into his, as if it was meant to be.

As if they were meant to be.

He banished the thought before it grew dangerous.

She had a mate, a worthy male as much as Azriel hated to admit it. Whether she chose to accept the bond with Lucien or not, she was not Azriel’s to love. Azriel was– 

His thoughts halted as he felt her shiver again, tightening her arms around his waist and burrowing her face into his chest. He wrapped his coat tighter around her, unable to keep his hands from stroking her spine as she hummed happily.

Suddenly, he felt cold small hands press against his lower back.

His bare lower back.

A jolt shot up his spine and it took over 500 years of training for Azriel to not bury his face into her neck and breath in the scent of fresh roses and summer rain.

Azriel glanced down to see two brown eyes staring right back at him. Her face was flushed, whether from the cold or their close proximity he didn’t know. 

“Sorry, it’s just that… you’re so warm.” She blushed, glancing down.

His hand came up before he could stop himself, gently lifting her chin to bring her warm gaze back to his.  
He really hadn’t meant anything by the gesture, or perhaps he had. He honestly couldn’t remember as he caught sight of her soft lips.

He had never allowed himself to admire them before, knowing it would only end in trouble. But now, with their bodies intertwined and faces mere inches apart, the delicate pout of her lips was difficult to ignore.

Her sweet scent bombarded his senses and he wondered how it was possible for something so beautiful to come from this world. 

No, he emended, watching as her tongue nervously wet the bottom of those rose pink lips. She could not be from this world. The female in his arms was an angel. An empyrean being crafted by the gods themselves to bring him devastation whenever he lay eyes on her.

He tried to ground himself and focused on the softness of her skin as he gently stroked her jaw. If they could only move a bit closer they–

She let out a small gasp and he glanced up to see those beautiful eyes lingering on his lips before quickly darting back up to meet his stare.

Her doe eyes grew magnetic, pulling him closer before fluttering shut. 

“I–” he breathed, parting his lips and–

“I’m sorry, are we interrupting something?”

Azriel and Elain lurched away from each other, only now remembering they weren’t alone as Cassian grinned wickedly at the two of them.

Bastard.

Azriel vowed to return the favor if his brother and Nesta ever swallowed their pride long enough to admit their feelings to one another.

Azriel spared a glance at Nesta, instantly regretting it.

If looks could kill…

But this wasn’t the same, was it? No, there had been no previous proclamations of love. No heated arguments that obviously hinted towards something more. Elain didn’t love him. She must have simply gotten caught up in the moment, she couldn’t possibly–

Azriel’s thoughts were once again interrupted as a shudder ran down his body as those damned hands of hers softly stroked along his lower spine, making his wings tremble.

His eyes shot to hers and she smiled up at him, her face open as he read the clear adoration written across her face.

He couldn’t help but smile back.

Azriel cleared his throat, disentangling himself from Elain before looking at the two fae in front of him.

He gathered up all his courage, praying to the Cauldron that he was as intuitive as everyone praised him to be.

“Yes, you were. Now if you’ll excuse us, it’s positively freezing out here and I fear my wings will snap off if I suffer from it any further,” Azriel then turned to the beaming female beside him, his heart leaping at the sight.

“Elain, care to join me?” he asked, smiling down her.

She grinned, reaching for his hand, “I’d love to.”

Nesta looked too shocked to argue as the pair made their way out of the ring to head back towards the cabin.  
The last thing they heard was the sound of Cassian saying, “Well, I’m sure Ellie will warm him right up– Hmph!”

…and the sound of Nesta punching him right in the gut.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you guys enjoyed this :) 
> 
> check out my tumblr if u want some more elriel stuff @elriel-incorrect-quotes


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